Surgical-clip applier.



A. LE WITT.

SURGICAL CLIP APPLIER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1909.

948,456. Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

WITNESSES: INVEN OR.

ATTORNEY.

ABRAHAM LE WI'IT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

SURGICAL-CLIP APPLIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

Application filed June 22, 1909. Serial N 0. 503,598.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM Ln Wrr'r, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Surgical Clip Applier, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of devices employed for aflixing clips to the mouth of a wound to secure its lips together to facilitate healing, and the object of the invention is to provide a device of this class with which the clips may be readlly and expeditiously applied to the wound; and a further object of the invention is to provide means especially applicable in emergency cases whereby the clips can be applied without handling or without placing in contact with various surfaces from which they are taken, thus avoiding danger of septic poison; and a further object of the invention among others, is to provide a device of this class having other novel features of advantage and utility.

One form of device in the use of which the objects sought may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the sections of my improved applier. Fig. 2 is a front view of the device. Fig. 3 is an end view looking into the case. Fig. 4 is a view in section on plane denoted by line 4-4 of Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a view of that end opposite to the one shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view in longitudinal section through the device on plane denoted by line 6-6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the clips which the device is used to apply. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a loader for the applier.

The applier represents an instrument of convenient length preferably rectangular in shape in cross section and hollow through its full length. This hollow, also rectangular in shape, corresponds in its dimensions to those of the clips, serving as a receptacle or magazine therefor.

The applier as a whole includes not only devices for applying the clips to a wound or to remove them therefrom, but also includes the receptacle or magazine as above described.

I do not contemplate any special form of construction as within the limits and confines of the invention, as the different parts may be variously constructed and yet embody my improvement. The form above generally described, however, is that preferred and includes devices for regulating the delivery of clips from the magazine and devices for applying and removing the clips, all practically integrally formed with the magazine, providing a comparatively inexpensive construction.

The receptacle or magazine is composed of two pieces, preferably formed from sheet steel plates which are bent longitudinally to take the form of a groove. The bottom of the groove corresponds with the length of the clip and the sides with the width of the clip. These two duplicate grooved parts when placed together form a tube which is the magazine of the instrument. As thus constructed the numeral 10 denotes one wall of a magazine half, and 11 and 12 the side walls. The wall 11 is separated from the wall 10 for a certain distance extending from each end of the structure by slits 13 and let formed at the angle between the sides, and the wall 12 is also separated from the wall 10 for a short distance extending from one end, that is the open end of the magazine, this separation being by slit 15 located at the angle between the two walls. Two of these halves are put together, the side walls lapping past each other so that each side wall is composed of two thicknesses as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The two halves are secured together as by screws or similar fastenings 17 and the end of the wall 12 of each half is composed of a bent portion as 16 that forms the bottom of the magazine, this bottom portion on each half lapping past that on the other half and the two being secured by a proper fastening as a screw or the like. This bent portion may be a part of a separate piece secured to the side wall, or not, as may be desired. The retaining end of the sides 12 are bent inward as at 19, these clamp fingers 18 together with the bent ends forming retainers to prevent the clips from being unintentionally ejected from the case.

Spring arms 20 are formed by the slits 1.3 which arms bear at their outer ends jaws 21 shaped to receive the clips. These jaws are recessed as at 22, within which recesses are the said retainers. A clamp band 23 is slidable along the case and when at the upper limit of its play holds the clamp fingers 18 inward in position to engage the clips.

to hold it at the lower limit of its play, the

stud projecting through a slot 3d extending lengthwise along the wall 10. A spring 28 forces the follower toward the retainers.

For the sake of clearness of illustration only two clips have been shown in the device, as illustrated in Fig. 6, but it will, of course, be understood that in actual use with the spring under compression, the clips practically fill the magazine, the upper clip being located in positlon to be engaged by the jaws 21, in which position it is held be fore compression by the retainer. The magazine being loaded with clips, these are constantly pressed against the retainers by spring 28, the sharp ends of the clips ex tending beyond the retainers. The instrument being placed in proper position with respect to the wound, the extending sharp points of the clip press against the skin on opposite sides of the wound. The spring arms 20 being pressed together close the sides of the instrument, bringing the jaws 21 to bear on the clip which is compressed or bent, the points sinking into the skin and the bending of the clip bringing the edges of the wound into approximation. The clip having been bent in the middle becomes shorter which permits its release from the magazine, it being retained in the wound, and the spring 28 presses a new clip into its place. When it is desired to remove aclip from the wound after healing the pins 25 are engaged with the inturned ends of a clip and then by pressing the supports 24E together the pins are separated thus withdrawing the points of the clip from the wound. The applier may be of any desired form, size and proportion, a satisfactory size employed by me being about threefourths of the size shown in the drawings herein.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a convenient device for loading the magazine, this loader consisting of rods 35 having a base 86 for securing them together in such position that the clips 31 are securely held between these rods. This loader being inserted in the magazine and the clips properly held the loader is withdrawn leaving the clips in place.

The device is especially applicable in cases where time is a material feature, for the reason that the clips may be quickly applied by the use of the device and a wound thus closed in the shortest possible time, thus lesseninghemorrhage and the chance of possible infection due to any exposure of the wound.

The applier with the clips may be thoroughly sterilized by placing them complete in boiling water, thus removing any chance of imparting septic poison to the wound through the agency of the applier or clips and the construction is such that this boiling will not injure or impair its working. The danger from infection is prevented for the reason that no handling of the clips is called for in the use of the applier.

I claim 1. A magazine formed in the shape of a tube to be held in the hand of the user and arranged to receive a plural number of clips, means upon the tube for temporarily retaining the clips in the magazine, and means for forcing the ends of a clip toward each other.

2. A magazine formed in the shape of a tube to be held in the hand of the user and arranged to receive a number of clips, means located at the mouth of the tube for temporarily retaining the clips in the magazine, means located at the mouth of the tube for forcing the ends of the clips toward each other, and means for feeding the clips.

3. A magazine arranged to receive a plural number of clips, retaining fingers arranged to receive the clips and temporarily retain them in the magazine, clamp arms located on opposite sides of the magazine and movable independently of the retaining fingers to operate the clips, and means for feeding the clips to the clamp.

t. A magazine of tubular form arranged to receive a plural number of clips, means for pressing the clips toward the mouth of the magazine, retaining fingers forming opposite sides of the magazine and arranged to temporarily retain the clips in the magazine, and spring clamp arms located at opposite sides of the magazine and movable independently of the retaining fingers and having jaws arranged to engage the clips to operate the latter.

5. A magazine arranged to receive a number of clips, means for forcing the clips toward the mouth of the magazine, spring clamp arms located at opposite sides of the magazine and having jaws with recesses, and retaining fingers located at opposite sides of the magazine and extending through the recesses in said jaws and arranged to temporarily retain the clips in the magazine.

6. A magazine arranged to receive a number of clips, retaining fingers integrally formed with the magazine and arranged to temporarily retain the clips therein, spring clamp arms integrally formed with the to manipulate them, and means within the magazine for forcing the clips toward the mouth thereof.

7.v A magazine formed in the shape of a tube and arranged to receive a number of clips, means located at the mouth of the tube for temporarily retaining the clips within the magazine, and a spring actuated clamp arm secured to the magazine and movable independently thereof to engage the clips to attach them in place.

8. A magazine arranged to hold a number of clips, means for temporarily retaining the clips in the magazine, means for forcing the clips toward the open end of the magazine, a clamp arm arranged to engage the clips to attach them in place, and means for disengaging the clips.

9. A magazine arranged to hold a number of clips, means for temporarily retaining the clips in the magazines, means for forcing the magazlne,

clips toward the mouth of the a spring arm arranged to engage a clip to attach it in place, and spring arms located at the opposite end of the magazine and arranged to engage the clips to remove them.

10. A magazine composed of two pieces duplicates each of the other, said magazine being arranged to receive a number of clips, means for temporarily retaining the clips in the magazine, and clamp arms arranged to move independently of the retaining means to engage the clips to attach them in place.

11. A magazine composed of two halves each a duplicate of the other, said magazine being arranged to contain a number of clips,

means for temporarily retaining the clips in the magazine, and spring arms integrally formed with the magazine and arranged to engage the clips to attach them in place.

12. A magazine composed of two halves each duplicates of the other and arranged to contain a number of clips, spring retainers to temporarily retain the clips in the magazine, spring clamp arms arranged to engage the clips to attach them in place, and means for feeding the clips to the clamp arms.

13. A magazine arranged to receive a number of clips, means for temporarily retaining the clips in the magazine, one side of which is formed at opposite ends into integral spring arms one forming a clamp arm to attach the clips in place and the other forming a support for means to disengage the clips.

14. A magazine formed of two halves each a duplicate of the other, means for securing the halves together, spring arms one formed upon each half by a slit extending from the end along the angle between the sides, said arms forming clamps to attach the clips in place, spring arms formed at the opposite side of each half by a slit extending from the end downward along the angle between the sides, said arms forming retainers, and means for feeding the clips toward the mouth of the magazine.

ABRAHAM LE WITT. lVitnesses ARTHUR B. JENKINS, LENA E. BERKovIToH. 

